What I’m reading, watching, eating and wearing this Week #8

An Easy Read, Gorgeous Garden Cafe, Dress of Dreams and the BEST foundation

Chelsea Physic Gardens

Well, here we are, hello May (and of course, another bank holiday weekend!). I would like to thank my former self for putting in that day’s leave for Friday 2nd May and giving myself 4 four-day work weeks. It has been excellent. And I’ve done it again for the end of the May bank holiday, so I’ll have another two four-day weeks coming up. Even more excellent!

I know a lot of people sit down at the start of the year and plot out their holidays to maximise the bank holiday allocation. I’ve never really done that very well before, and I’m so glad I did it this year. It’s been so nice to have shorter weeks as the weather warms up and is just absolutely beautiful.

So on to business, I have a few things to share this week and although I am absolutely not a beauty blogger (do we still call them that?), I’m also including another makeup recommendation. I think a lot of people, especially as you hit your late 30s, which is where I am, start looking at their makeup differently. You want the best out there for your budget and ease is key. You just have less time or inclination to do a lot of makeup, and honestly, I tend to look youngest when I’m wearing the least.

A little while ago, I tested loads of the popular “anti-aging” and “illuminating” foundations out there, especially the ones certain influencers always recommend. I’ll tell you from my perspective which one is best (and it ISN’T the most expensive one).

Let’s get into it…

What I’m Reading

Throwback to our NYC trip- couldn’t resist this very “instagrammable” photo

Our Wives Under the Sea by Julia Armfield

This is a sort of dark undersea horror-drama. It follows a married couple, Miri and Leah. Leah is a submariner off on an expedition, and her submarine sinks to the bottom of the ocean. She’s stuck out at sea for months and her wife Miri thinks she’s dead.  Leah eventually comes back, and the story begins there. Each chapter alternates between Miri and Leah’s perspective. Miri’s chapters are set in the present, dealing with Leah’s return and mourning the loss of the person she used to be, while Leah’s chapters detail what happened under the sea. Something strange occurred down there and as you read on, it starts to feel darker and claustrophobic. The writing is beautiful- elegant, not too wordy, and full of emotion, but in a subtle way. That said, for a slim book, it did feel like it dragged on a bit and I got bored around two thirds in. So while the writing is brilliant and the concept is compelling, I can’t recommend it. It’s probably me that’s the problem so if this interests you, then I’m not saying swerve it entirely, it just wasn’t right for me this past week.

The Collected Regrets of Clover by Mikki Brammer

And in complete opposition to Our Wives Under the Sea in every way, welcome to Total rom-com territory. Think Beth O’Leary or Emily Henry. The writing style follows a formulaic pattern, everything is told to you; nothing is subtle. Very descriptive, very neat, very tied up in a bow.

To sum up: Clover is a lonely woman in her 30s working as a death doula (a phrase I hadn’t heard before). She helps people come to terms with dying, all while living a very isolated life full of her own regrets. She’s never had a romantic relationship and her only friend is the elderly neighbour from upstairs who plays a guardian style advice type figure for her. Then, of course, she meets a bubbly new friend, a love interest comes into play, and everything changes. It’s exactly what you’d expect. Not a deep book, not going to win awards, but easy and feel-good. Might end up as one of those Netflix Christmas -style movies (even though it’s not set at Christmas, it really should be- that’s the only romcom cliche it doesn’t have.) If you want something light, it does the job.

What I’m Eating

We went over to the Chelsea Physic Garden on my day off, and it was really lovely. Despite having lived in London for close to 10 years, I’d never heard of it before, it’s this beautiful, peaceful botanical garden tucked away near Sloane Square.

Funnily enough, it was my mom who told me about it (she heard about it from a YouTuber she watches religiously). Side note, is anyone else’s parents and grandparents very into YouTube? My mom isn’t the most tech savvy however she can figure out how to get on YouTube from any device! Where there’s a will, there’s a way I suppose.

I also think it’s so interesting how YouTube has captured the opposite ends of our generations, with millennials squeezed in the middle still clinging on to “regular television” formats.

Anyway back to the Gardens. We had a little wander and then stopped for lunch at the on-site restaurant, the Physic Garden Café. You can book a table if you want to sit indoors and have table service, but there’s also a great outdoor area with unreserved tables. You just order at the counter and find a seat outside. It’s a simple setup but really charming.

The food was light and fresh, nothing overly fancy, but delicious. We had the butternut, spelt, and quinoa salad with a citrus dressing, salmon and hake fish cakes and a sausage roll. The menu covers a range of dietary preferences and they even provide calorie and nutritional breakdowns, which is unusual for such a small place. I saw a few other plates coming out and it all looked really good.

You do have to pay £15 entry to get into the gardens, but if you’ve got an hour or two to spare and want somewhere peaceful to unwind, it’s a lovely choice. You can also bring your own blanket and nibbles, find a spot on the lawn to relax and read. It’s a perfect low-effort family friendly outing or solo date for these summery days.

After lunch, we wandered over to Notting Hill, one of my absolute favourite parts of London, so many gorgeous shops, restaurants and quirky spots. We ended up at L’ETO which has a few branches- there’s one in Soho, one on King’s Road, and this one in Notting Hill, which I think might be the nicest. You can’t miss it if you’re walking by, the cakes in the window are outrageous. Think rich layered honey, carrot, pistachio rose cakes, cheesecakes, perfectly whipped lemon meringue and a bunch of other mouthwatering things that I just want to eat all day. My husband saw the window display and immediately announced, “we’re going in here!”.

We shared the Dubai Millionaire cheesecake and the classic carrot cake (for balance, obviously). The cheesecake was phenomenal! Creamy chocolate with a generous biscuity base, topped with a pistachio layer and a dark chocolate ganache. I managed to snap this photo before we completely demolished it.

Will be dreaming about this for DAYS!

If you go, you have to try that one. I think you can also order a whole cake (RIP insulin) to take home - which will be exactly what I intend to do next time I have friends over.

L’ETO also has a pretty decent brunch and lunch menu with big salad plates you can choose from and the Notting Hill location is a decent size (for London). It’s another “no booking” spot  but it wasn’t overly packed when we went. They even have a small play area for kids, tiny, but a thoughtful addition if you’re going with family.

All in all, a really lovely day, relaxed, spontaneous, and full of great food.

What I’m Watching

Your Friends and Neighbours on Apple TV+. Not finished yet, so I can’t give a final verdict, but as I said before, Apple TV+ is doing great things lately.

This follows Cooper, a hedge fund guy who loses his job on a technicality. He can’t get another job for reasons that I can’t quite remember, so he starts stealing from his incredibly wealthy neighbours to keep himself a float (like, “$300k watches chucked in a drawer” level of wealth). He’s also divorced so that’s an added and expensive complication. He and his ex (played by Amanda Peet, so nice to see her again) still clearly have some love and respect between them, along with a healthy amount of arguments, so that’s a nice dynamic to watch. It’s a comedy-drama that leans into that “eat the rich” narrative like White Lotus, but less weird and jarring.

A new episode lands every Friday which prevents me from binge watching and that’s making it even more enjoyable if I’m honest. Is Scheduled TV making a return? Probably not for Gen Z or (or Gen X apparently who are living their best lives on YouTube) but for us Millennials, I think it may have place.

What I’m wearing

I haven’t yet unpacked all my summer clothes as I know London weather is fickle and although that temptress Spring has made an appearance, she may leave us suddenly. So when presented with this warmer weather, I didn’t have many options in my wardrobe apart from this dress that I picked up in Barcelona a month ago. (I know I said I wasn’t shopping and I’m trying not to-but it doesn’t count when you’re on holiday right?)

This is a satin halter neck midi dress from Massimo Dutti. It’s so comfortable and such a flattering fit. This slip style doesn’t always work for me as I have Hips and  sometimes it just pulls the fabric in the wrong way, but not this one. It’s also a higher rounded neck so I’m not accidentally flashing anyone when my cross body bag cuts across my chest (IYKYK). I paired it with Gold Ancient Greek Sandals (these are my favourite sandals-I’ve had them for three years and they’re still going strong!), basket bag (nothing says summer like a woven basket bag!) and a light jumper in case it turned a little chilly.

The dress is still available (Dress of Dreams Here) around £119 (although if you’re in Europe, it’s a bit less- or at least it was when I bought it)

The Best Foundation…

Okay, on to the foundation review. To set the scene, I have dry/combination skin, not particularly acne-prone but I do get breakouts now and then so I need something that’s hydrating but not too heavy. I’m also up early and need makeup that holds up through a full day, especially when heading into the office. And last but definitely not least, I don’t want something that settles into lines or looks blotchy and cakey.

This mission, to find age appropriate foundation, lead me to the Selfridges beauty floor and I ended up with a load of tester pots from a few popular brands. I was surprised at how many counters handed over quite generous samples! It’s such a good way to test the foundation in your day today life to see what suits you best- before spending your £££.

Here are the contenders (and I’ve included the specific range name where I remembered it).

•MAC Studio Fix

•Armani luminous silk foundation

•Bobbi Brown

•NARS

•Dior

•Chanel

•Laura Mercier

•Sisley Phyto hydra teint

•Estée Lauder Double Wear

•Charlotte Tilbury

•Lancôme

Bunch of high street brands (L’Oréal, Revlon etc)

And the winner? Drum Roll please…

Estée Lauder Double Wear Foundation. Great price point, amazing staying power, doesn’t settle into lines, and gives just enough glow without feeling heavy. It also has such a broad range of shades so hopefully something for everyone.

It’s a full-on foundation. I put it on around 6:30 or 7 a.m., and by 5 p.m., my face still looks great. Minimal touch-up needed. I do use a primer- currently the NARS radiating primer but I’ve used others in the past with this brand and it’s work just as well.

It doesn’t crease in my fine lines, unlike the Sisley Phyto-Tient (which is supposed to be anti-aging, but I found it patchy and it collected around my mouth and nose by the end of the day).

Also, price point wise- it’s mid-range, which is even better. It’s around £30, compared to the £50-£100 of Sisley, Dior, etc. and it’s the best I’ve tried. A friend of mine, different skin type, did a similar experiment and also said Double Wear wins hands down.

Also, whilst we are on this topic, I need to make a slight correction to an earlier post where I declared IT Cosmetics CC cream the BEST for those lighter coverage days. I still think it’s amazing but I have also started using Chanel Les Beiges (following my selfridges exploration!) which is described as a light coverage fluid that promises dewy and glowy skin- and friends, it delivers!

It doesn’t look like much, a streaky watery liquid but as you glide it over face (and a little goes a long way), the micro pigments kick in and your skin tone takes on an even and radiant hue but it doesn’t look like makeup. It’s so easy and requires much less blending. There are 2 negatives however: 1) it doesn’t have an SPF (unlike the IT Cosmetics which has SPF 40/50!) and 2) its double the price for less product. So it’s a splurge item but I think I’ll be keeping it in my routine - especially in winter when I don’t need as strong SPF cover.

So to Sum Up:

If you’re going to read something - I didn’t love either of my books this week. But The Collected Regrets of Clover is a reasonable light read. And if all else fails: Sorrow and Bliss by Meg Mason. My all-time favourite.

If you’re going to watch something - Your Friends and Neighbours on Apple TV+ is Brilliant.

Makeup hero - Estée Lauder Double Wear Foundation. My search is over, I’m committed to this brand.

And if you’re going to eat something, make it the Dubai Chocolate Cheesecake. Whether that be at L’ETO or you make your own- you deserve a treat.

L

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